Search Results for: morale

Change can make employees cynical so must be managed by effective communication

Change can make employees cynical so must be managed by effective communication

changeProviding clear, timely explanations and implementing an effective communications strategy can help minimise the damage to employee morale in the wake of adverse or significant change, new research from Aalto University School of Business and others suggests. Professor Marjo-Riitta Diehl and colleagues from Vlerick Business School, Católica-Lisbon School of Business and Economics, and University of Waterloo, discovered that workers vary in their level of attachment to the organisation that employs them and this affects how they react to major changes. More →

Two-thirds of employees don’t know how, when and where they’re supposed to work

Two-thirds of employees don’t know how, when and where they’re supposed to work

A survey of 2,000 employees has revealed that more than half (53 per cent) do not describe their employer as a good communicator, and 70 per cent cannot agree that their employer is clear about the company’s work policy now that Covid-19 restrictions have eased. The research, conducted by Magenta Associates, the integrated communications consultancy for the built environment, also found that two-thirds of employees do not know how, when and where they are supposed to work. More →

Flexible working means half of workers says they are more able to be ‘themselves’

Flexible working means half of workers says they are more able to be ‘themselves’

flexible workingA poll from Perkbox claims that moves towards hybrid and flexible working are changing the workplace experience for employees across the UK, with 57 percent feeling freer to be ‘themselves’ in this environment. This is particularly strong for women – 61 percent say they feel freer to be themselves when remote and hybrid working compared to 51 percent of men. In addition, 55 percent of employees say that remote and hybrid working has been a huge step forward in supporting more diverse and inclusive working environments. More →

Structural and cultural change are what we need to escape the wellbeing rut

Structural and cultural change are what we need to escape the wellbeing rut

wellbeing at workWellbeing has been one of the largest challenges to the UK workforce over the last several years. A recent study by the Mental Health Foundation and the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), states that mental health problems cost the UK economy at least £117.9 billion every year – around 5 percent of the UK’s GDP. Companies recognise the urgency to help: British employers planned to increase spending on employee mental health and wellbeing by 18 percent from 2021 to 2022. But the long and short of the issue is that this progress is being outpaced by accelerating burnout rates among workers. More →

Hybrid working burnout is inevitable, say third of workers

Hybrid working burnout is inevitable, say third of workers

hybrid working burnoutOver one in three (36 percent) UK workers believe burnout is an inevitable part of their career, according to new data based on 2,000 UK knowledge workers. The figure, which rises to 41 percent of managers was noted by UK workers as a natural part of career progression by those who had experienced it. UK employees are feeling isolated at home when part of a hybrid working culture and they’re struggling to balance priorities and establish clear boundaries. More →

Lack of ‘face time’ leaving people feeling disengaged

Lack of ‘face time’ leaving people feeling disengaged

quality face timeAround two thirds of professionals say they are ‘highly likely’ to leave their job this year due to a lack of face time with leaders within their organisation. Following the announcement yesterday from Government that working-from-home restrictions will be dropped, an annual employee survey from recruiter Robert Walters claims to reveal the potential damage of upholding remote leadership in 2022. Results from survey suggest a correlation between a decrease in output and morale for professionals who claim they see their manager (face-to-face) less than once a week. More →

Brits reluctant to take a sick day during the pandemic

Brits reluctant to take a sick day during the pandemic

sickBritish workers took the seventh lowest number of sick days in Europe last year, according to new research that identifies the countries who are most and least notorious for pulling a sickie. More →

More than half of employers feel they don’t know their employees

More than half of employers feel they don’t know their employees

employersMore than half of the nation’s employers (53 percent) feel that they don’t know their employees even slightly well on a personal level, claims a new office worker survey. More →

Three in four IT departments face critical skills gaps

Three in four IT departments face critical skills gaps

ITSkillsoft (NYSE: SKIL), has released its annual Global Knowledge IT Skills and Salary Report, exploring the current state of skills gaps, training and development, compensation, and job satisfaction in the IT industry. More →

Going with the flow in the way we work

Going with the flow in the way we work

Sedus Smart Office

Throughout history we’ve been aware of the state we now refer to as flow. It describes the sensation of existing purely in the moment of some activity, effortlessly achieving what we have set out to achieve and unaware of distractions. Mystics have described it as ecstasy, artists as rapture and athletes as in the zone. This state was first described as flow by the Hungarian psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi in 1975 and has been developed by him and a wide range of other researchers in a number of fields since that time.

The essential characteristic of flow is an individual’s total and enjoyable absorption in an activity to the point that they lose a sense of space and time. It is related to focus but it is not the same. Flow is a state of transcendence and it is just as important in office design as any other domain of human activity.

The idea has been widely talked about as a desirable state in which to complete work, especially creative tasks. Indeed, the idea of heightened states while engaged in tasks predates the work of Csíkszentmihályi. Perhaps the best-known organisational psychologist of all time Abraham Maslow coined the term peak experience to describe intensely joyous and exciting moments. In these moments, we feel more whole, integrated, aware of ourselves and deeply happy. Maslow described them as those “moments of highest happiness and fulfilment” in his 1964 work Religions, Values, and Peak Experiences. He linked them to the idea of self-actualisation from his famous Hierarchy of Needs.

 

Flow is more common at work

Such moments are more likely when we are at work than in other periods of our lives and are relatively common. According to an article by Csíkszentmihályi published in Psychology Today, in a survey of 6,469 Germans, when asked how often they entered a flow state: 23 percent said often; 40 percent said sometimes; 25 percent said rarely; and 12 percent said never or don’t know.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Organisations should seek to develop activities, cultures and environments that make it easier for people to enter flow states[/perfectpullquote]

His own research using more objective methods found that work was better suited to the creation of flow states than passive activities such as watching television, leading him to conclude that ‘work is much more like a game than most other things we do during the day. It usually has clear goals and rules of performance. It provides feedback either in the form of knowing that one has finished a job well done, in terms of measurable sales or through an evaluation by one’s supervisor. A job tends to encourage concentration and prevent distractions, and ideally, its difficulties match the worker’s skills.’

Csikszentmihályi argues that organisations should seek to develop activities, cultures and environments that make it easier for people to enter flow states in their work. This isn’t just about making them more productive and more likely to have good ideas, although those are two of the most important outcomes. In his 2003 book Good Business: Leadership, Flow, and the Making of Meaning, Csikszentmihályi argues that fostering flow states improves morale by creating a sense of greater happiness and accomplishment. He looks at how flow states are essential for the creation of ‘good work’ in which you enjoy the feelings of “doing your best while at the same time contributing to something beyond yourself.” He also highlights the importance of regular feedback as an essential ingredient for the fostering of flow states.

For this reason, flow is not just an important goal for the individual. Because it contributes to organisational goals such as higher productivity, better ideas and improved morale, it can improve the overall performance of the organisation and encourage greater collaboration.

Csikszentmihályi concludes that there are three conditions for the creation of flow states at work:

• One must be involved in an activity with a clear set of goals and progress. This adds direction and structure to the task.

• The task at hand must have clear and immediate feedback. This helps the person negotiate any changing demands and allows them to adjust their performance to maintain the flow state.

• One must have a good balance between the perceived challenges of the task at hand and their own perceived skills. One must have confidence in one’s ability to complete the task at hand.

Designing for flow

There are several characteristics of an office environment that can encourage flow states and meet these prerequisites. The ability to focus and work free from distraction is perhaps the most obvious, but so too are the creation of an enjoyable working culture, strong bonds with colleagues, immediate feedback on tasks, an affinity with each job and regular communication with colleagues.

This demands a sophisticated and intelligent approach that embraces a number of features of office design. The most progressive office design concepts seem ready-made to deliver a working environment that can encourage flow states. By empowering people to work in ways that suit them best with a choice of work styles and offering the sorts of spaces in which people can enter flow states undisturbed, such offices increase the likelihood of flow. This principle of office design aligns completely with the characteristics of flow states.

In addition, the democratic structure of the space makes feedback significantly more likely, while the social spaces, collaborative space and more playful aspects of the design encourage people to be aware of ‘something greater than themselves’.

This article first appeared on the What’s Up blog of Sedus

Image: Sedus Smart Office

Recruitment drive sees majority of firms embed flexible working policies

Recruitment drive sees majority of firms embed flexible working policies

policiesNew research by Totum Partners, claims that the majority of firms now have hybrid working policies in place, as worker preferences and economy-wide recruitment pressures drive increased demand for flexible working. This includes 50 percent of firms which have implemented a company-wide policy, while the remaining 50 percent have published guidelines that can be interpreted by location or individual team. More →

Office still valued by UK employees, providing space for productivity and collaboration

Office still valued by UK employees, providing space for productivity and collaboration

employeesNew research from Nespresso Professional claims that the office space is still highly valued by employees, with office workers naming seeing their colleagues (39 percent) as the thing they like most about being in the office. While a proper desk setup (31 percent) comes in second, office camaraderie (30 percent) took the third spot, showing the importance of the office environment for team building and relationships. More →